Time Is Running Out
by a unique solution
Summary: Shino knows it's not Sousuke, but lets himself take the bait anyway. Things begin to fall apart. Ao/Shino, Sousuke/Shino.
1. Chapter 1

((Author's note: this is essentially a rewrite of the second season, with bonus homo. Obviously, potential spoilers ahead. Not all of it follows the canon storyline, but there are basically no major changes. The ending I have planned may not coincide with the canon ending, though, since at the time of my writing this, the last two episodes have yet to come out.))

- Chapter One -

The memory of that disturbing encounter replayed itself vividly in Shino's mind. A shadow**—** Sousuke's shadow; that was what that man was, according to Murasame. But, what exactly did that mean? Was he the missing half of Sousuke's soul? Shino's thoughts clashed chaotically with one another.

'He's_ not Sousuke.'_ Shino mentally repeated to himself. Yet his mind seemed to whisper back, _'But, he remembers.'_

Frustrated, Shino flicked a small pebble into the canal, watching disinterestedly as it sent ripples across the water's surface. His reflection shifted into blurry fragments, but it was a transient mess that would soon come together again to form a complete image. If only he could gather his thoughts, too...

Murasame, perched on his shoulder, suddenly dug his talons into Shino.

"Itai...! What was that for?!" Shino snapped in surprise, and Murasame took to the air before Shino could take retaliative action.

"Shino, let's go already! You've been staring at the water for over an hour!" Murasame squawked irritably. "Also, I'm getting hungry!"

Shino let out a quiet sigh. "Go find something to eat on your own."

His gaze fell to the water once more, and after making even more of a fuss, Murasame finally settled back onto his shoulder, still harbouring a sour expression.

"Shino? Is something the matter?" A soft voice called.

Shino turned slightly to peer behind him, already knowing who the voice belonged to.

"Sousuke..." Shino greeted him halfheartedly.

For a moment Sousuke said nothing, watching Shino with concern. Eventually, he offered Shino a warm smile, and said, "Have you eaten yet? We could get lunch, if you're hungry."

"Yes! Yes! Murasame wants to eat!" Murasame piped up immediately, and Shino clapped a hand over the crow's beak.

"... Let's go back to the inn, then." Shino said, standing up from the stone steps and brushing some dust off his shorts.

They made their way through the winding streets of the capital, avoiding the main roads that were bustling with people at that time of day. Shino still had an uncharacteristically pensive look in his eyes while they made small talk about the rundown church.

A silence settled between them; it was something that would have been perfectly comfortable under normal circumstances, but as it was, Shino felt as if he could suddenly hear his own thoughts more clearly, and they rang out in his mind with urgency. He wanted to ask. It was an impulsive feeling, but it was so compelling that he nearly stumbled over his words as he said, "Sousuke, do you remember when we went to pick chestnuts in the mountain? You had a fever, and we couldn't make it back home by ourselves."

"Hm? Yes, I remember that." Sousuke nodded.

"And it started to rain, so we had to take cover..." He glanced up at Sousuke, who was looking at him attentively. Encouraged, Shino continued, "Do you remember our conversation from back then? Or what happened afterwards?"

Sousuke frowned lightly, and stared off into the distance for a few seconds, before replying, "Hmm, I'm not sure. Did you tell me something important?"

Shino froze in his steps, seized by a strange feeling that tightened in his chest almost painfully. _'Something... important, huh?'_

* * *

_"We must have been brothers in a past life!" Shino exclaimed, lifting his sleeve to show Sousuke the birthmark on his upper arm. Smiling brightly, he added, "Sousuke, I'm so glad I met you."_

_Sousuke leaned over to peer at it, blinking hard. He felt dizzy from the fever... or was it that he was dizzy with happiness? Shino rarely ever expressed his thoughts like this. He was somewhat aloof most of the time, but Sousuke suspected Shino was guarding his emotions to avoid seeming vulnerable. In that case, did this mean that Shino trusted him fully?_

_Without having realized it, Sousuke had leaned over too far, and promptly lost his balance, collapsing on top of Shino. Shino winced slightly when he landed on his back, but the earth was soft, and there were more important things to worry about than whether or not he'd gotten bruised or scratched._

_"Sou?! Are you okay?" Shino said, attempting to prop himself up on his elbows in vain. "Dammit, you're heavy...!"_

_Sousuke had closed his eyes, and was nearly motionless, save for the rise and fall of his chest. Assuming the other boy was unconscious, Shino gave up on trying to get Sousuke off of him, and settled for lying there quietly. As he gazed at Sousuke in silence, a thought suddenly struck him, and he blushed faintly. It was probably the worst idea he had ever had, but nonetheless, ensnared by whimsy and encouraged by the strangely serene nature of the situation, he murmured almost inaudibly, "Sousuke, I think... I love you..."_

_Shino felt his heart beat a little faster, and blushed a little harder, enraptured with the thrill of his secret confession._

_It was short-lived, however, for after a few seconds, Sousuke lifted himself back up to hover above Shino, his skin more flushed than a fever alone could produce, and an unreadable expression etched across his features._

_"W-what!? You...! You were awake this whole time?!" Shino spluttered, turning just as red as the other boy. His eyes quickly darted to the side, while his mind raced for an explanation, an excuse, anything at all to say to Sousuke._

_"I love you too, Shino." Sousuke said simply, and smiled affectionately. Shino looked up at Sousuke, eyes widening in sheer surprise. Sousuke was positively radiating with joy and warmth, and for a moment, Shino felt his heart soar. Surely, this was a dream..._

_A few barks could be heard in the distance, confirming that this was in fact, reality. Shino, nearly delirious himself, somehow managed to gather his composure enough to say, "That must be Yoshiro. Sousuke, can you stand...?"_

_Sousuke nodded, and stumbled upwards, Shino doing the same while carefully supporting Sousuke._

_"N...no, wait, I changed my mind," Sousuke suddenly said, and Shino froze, leaping to conclusions even before Sousuke mumbled weakly, "I don't think I can stand..."_

_He collapsed, taking Shino with him, and both of them fell ungracefully into the mud. It took Shino a moment to react to all of this, and he finally sighed, mostly to himself, "You idiot... don't say things like that when they could be easily misunderstood...!"_

_"W-what?" Sousuke's voice was a quiet rasp._

_"N-nothing!" Shino replied hurriedly, embarrassed by his own overreaction. "Just be quiet and save your energy..."_

_Sousuke nodded once, and smiled at Shino, who couldn't help but to smile back._

* * *

"Shino?" Sousuke looked expectantly at the boy. "What's this really about?"

"Hm? Oh. No, it's nothing." Shino shifted his gaze elsewhere, scratching his head in an obvious attempt to look casual. "To be honest, I don't really remember what I said either."

He could feel Sousuke staring at him, but couldn't bring himself to look back.

"Ah, hey you two!" Kobungo greeted them in his usual laid-back manner. "Hm? What's wrong, Shino? It's not like you to look so moody. Are you hungry or something?"

Shino, initially relieved that Kobungo had appeared to distract Sousuke, now resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands. _'Read the atmosphere, dammit!'_ He shot a sharp look at the brunet, and said in bitter annoyance, "Just leave me alone."

Kobungo looked mildly taken aback as Shino quickly stalked past him with his eyes focused on the ground. His poorly constructed charade was ruined; there was no way that Sousuke wouldn't be suspicious now. Shino mentally winced, frustrated with himself for having even asked in the first place.

"Shino. I remember what you said." Sousuke called out, and Shino stopped abruptly. "You said that you thought of us as brothers."

Shino whirled around immediately, eyes wide as Sousuke continued, "How could I ever forget that?"

"But then you absolutely insisted that you were the older brother, and here I am, older than you..." Sousuke added without hesitation, looking almost sheepish. "It kind of bothered me, so I pretended to have forgotten about the whole conversation."

Shino merely stared, rendered entirely speechless. Sousuke never lied to him, not now, and not ever. He genuinely believed that what he was saying was true. His memory wasn't just missing, it had been altered somehow.

Tears came unbidden to Shino's eyes, and the twisting pain in his chest grew unbearable. For the first time since their lives had changed, he began to cry in earnest. He couldn't stop the sobs from escaping his throat, and couldn't stop himself from running to Sousuke and clutching at him in despair. Why? Why did this happen? And what would happen if his missing memories were eventually restored? What if the false memories still remained? Would Sousuke ever remember...?

"I'm sorry, Shino." Sousuke said softly, and Shino felt as though the apology could have been for the entire truth of the matter: for all the nights spent together yet lonesomely, for the deeply caring yet oblivious smiles, for all the things between them that were forgotten, or worse, replaced. And he cried even harder, feeling Sousuke's warm and comforting embrace, which was still, to Shino, colder than it should have been.

* * *

It was perhaps fortunate that Shino didn't have more time to reflect on everything. As soon as he and Sousuke had heard of the danger Hamaji was in, they were quick to take action, and for the rest of the day all their efforts were concentrated on rescuing her. It was an overly dramatic and unnecessarily flashy affair, for Hamaji was in the hands of the church, and there was obviously no real physical threat there. But it served as a distraction, and now, as he and Sousuke were making their way back to the Konaya Inn, Shino's thoughts began creeping back into his mind.

"Shino?" Sousuke placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, startling him. "Ah, sorry if I surprised you."

"It's fine," Shino said quickly. He turned to continue walking, but Sousuke's grip was firm, and Shino glared at him irately. "What? I'm hungry. Let's go back already."

"You still seem distracted by something." Sousuke said, frowning lightly in concern. "You've been this way all day. Did something happen?"

"Sorry, I'm just... annoyed right now. I didn't get to eat lunch, Hamaji got kidnapped again, and that stingy bastard cut my allowance...!" Shino groused. All of what he said was true, of course. It was much easier to lie by omission.

Sousuke paused for a moment, noting with unease that none of Shino's excuses accounted for the terrible mood he was in before the incident with the church. But he merely nodded, trusting Shino to tell him if something was truly a problem. "Let's go, then. I'm sure everyone's waiting for us."

The inn was just up ahead, and Shino could hardly wait to get there, both to escape from Sousuke's scrutiny and to get some food in his growling stomach.

"We're back! Where's the food? I'm starving!" Shino announced, sliding the door open with a flourish. He immediately noticed the glassy beads sitting on the table, and nearly choked in surprise. "Those beads! I've been looking for these! How come you each have one?"

Genpachi, Kobungo, and Asakeno glanced at one another, before shrugging simultaneously.

"So, they were here all along... and we had thought we hadn't made any progress at all," Sousuke said, mildly amused.

Shino nodded, and reached into his pocket, but abruptly froze. It was empty. Both his and Sousuke's beads were missing. How could this have happened? They had been in his pocket, hadn't they?

"Shiny!" Murasame suddenly leapt onto the table, picking up the beads with his beak before flapping away.

"Oi! Murasame! Give those back!" Shino snapped, hastily chasing after his familiar, and the warm laughter from his friends temporarily drowned out his fears.

* * *

As soon as his head hit the pillow, Shino knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep. The beads were gone. He nearly worked himself into a panic, trying to remember when or where they might have fallen out. It was all in vain, however. Shino hadn't the slightest clue what could have happened. They could be anywhere in the city**—** or worse, perhaps he'd lost them at the church.

After what felt like hours of mentally retracing his steps to no avail, Shino rolled onto his side to face Sousuke, who was already asleep on the futon across the room, with the blankets pulled up to his shoulders. In the faint light of the moon, Shino could just barely make out Sousuke's facial features, but as his eyes adjusted to the dimness, he could see more clearly, and shivered with a sudden realization.

Out of his usual clothes and with his eyes closed, Sousuke looked exactly like his Shadow.

He couldn't endure it anymore. Not after everything that had happened. Shino pushed his blankets aside and slipped out of the room quietly. Without a destination in mind, he wandered through the halls listlessly, before deciding he'd better not risk waking anyone up and eventually making his way to the courtyard. Outside, the chill night air swept briskly across his skin, but it hardly bothered him. He just needed a moment to collect himself, that was all...

"Shino?"

"Can't I have some time to myself?!" Shino snarled, squeezing his eyes shut and refusing to turn around. "Sousuke, I**—**"

"... Aren't you cold?"

Warm arms encircled Shino from behind. Startled, Shino opened his eyes, and in the corner of his vision he saw the familiar forest-green cloak billowing slightly in the wind.

"It's you again!?" Shino growled, squirming in the other man's grasp.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The Shadow smiled wryly down at Shino, waiting patiently for him to calm down.

"Leave me alone!" Shino said sharply, though he had given up on trying to get loose.

"Ah, you wound me with your words. And here I was, merely trying to do a good deed." He sighed, turning Shino around to face him. "Won't you at least hear me out?"

Shino stared at him belligerently. "What do you want?"

"I found something," the Shadow began. He paused for a long moment before saying, "I believe it might belong to you."

The Shadow moved to retrieve something from a pouch, but Shino knew immediately that it could only be one thing, and without hesitation he swiped the pouch from the Shadow, and poured its contents out. His bead, glistening like a ruby, rolled out onto the paved ground.

"I knew it! You stole this from me!" Shino said, narrowing his eyes at the other man as he picked the gem up, stuffing it into his pocket protectively. "Where's Sousuke's? You have it, don't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," The Shadow replied coolly. "I merely found this on the ground by one of the city's waterways."

"Liar! How could it possibly have gotten there? It was in my pocket the whole time!" Shino hissed. Seemingly unaffected by Shino's accusations, the Shadow grinned, clearly amused by something, and it frustrated Shino to no end. "Where is it? What did you do with it?!"

"Shino, I wish you'd take the time to consider alternate possibilities once in a while," the Shadow said smoothly, embracing Shino once more and leaning down to whisper, "I overheard you asking him. I watched you cry... and I wished you had run to me, instead."

His face flushed with shame and anger, Shino pushed the other man away roughly, and this time the Shadow relented, letting go quite easily. Shino's gaze was piercingly cold, and his tone scathing.

"You don't know anything."

Yet as soon as the words left his mouth, Shino felt as though he had fallen into a trap. He felt as though he had taken a step off a cliff, and was plummeting down, faster and faster, into an unknown abyss. Shino realized, as he stared unflinchingly into that pair of mismatched eyes**—** one soothingly familiar, one strikingly beautiful **—**that he wasn't making a statement. He was asking a question.

The Shadow's lips slowly curled into a smile, and Shino averted his eyes to the ground. _'He's not Sousuke.'_ Shino reminded himself once more.

"Shino..."

"Stop it." Shino said carefully, taking a small step backwards. And, although he didn't voice it, the thought seemed to echo loudly in the air: _'Stop saying my name in his voice.'_

"It's all right, Shino. I know," the Shadow took a step forward, leaning over the other's smaller frame, and Shino held his ground in a valiant effort not to fall apart completely. The Shadow bent down a little lower, cupping Shino's face with both hands, and said, "I know that you love me."

"You're not Sou**—**"

The kiss was over in an instant, and as their lips parted, Shino felt as though he was going to die. Because it was hardly enough. It was hardly enough, yet it had sent a spark through him, a terrifyingly thrilling feeling that ran straight along his nerves. He wanted more, and knowing that he wanted more was tearing his heart to shreds.

"I love you too, Shino." The Shadow spoke softly, and Shino shut his eyes tightly, saying nothing, for there was nothing left to say. A moment later, he felt a hand run through his hair affectionately. Footsteps faded away into silence, and Shino was alone again, more so than he had ever been before.

* * *

_I think I'm drowning, asphyxiated  
__I want to break this spell that you've created__  
_

_You're something beautiful, a contradiction  
__I want to play the game, I want the friction__  
_

_- Muse_


	2. Chapter 2

((Author's note: sorry for taking so long. Google was sending all my alerts to my spam inbox, so I had no idea this story was actually kind of well-received. After the show ended I figured everyone had just sort of moved on to a new series.

Anyway, I think I can safely say that the canon ending was the most disappointing thing I've ever watched. I suppose that, on the bright side, I now have some potentially good news to share: the ending I have in mind for this story is... definitely not the same. So, you can look forward to some actual conflict resolution, if I ever do manage to finish writing this. Hooray.))

- Chapter Two -

Autumn swept across the land, painting the trees a warm vermillion, while the air was chilled with the promise of winter. After finally having returned from their trip into the mountains, Shino was eager to head to the Konaya Inn for a home-cooked meal and some soft bedding. He had adamantly refused Satomi's request to take the commissioned dolls to Finnegan's office at the main branch of the church, and ran off with Sousuke in tow before the blond could get another word in.

"Shino, I'm not sure we should have just left like that... I wouldn't have minded going by myself to the church." Sousuke said, still being led by the hand by Shino, who was practically jogging down the street.

"No way! I am so sick of running errands for that guy!" Shino huffed in annoyance.

"After all he's done for us..." Sousuke sighed, exasperated. Shino could be terribly childish sometimes.

They slowed their pace as they reached the inn. As if only just realizing that he was still holding Sousuke's hand, Shino quickly loosened his grip, and stuffed both hands into his pockets. Sousuke didn't seem to mind, and he went on ahead to announce their arrival.

Shino inwardly cringed at his actions. He had gotten incredibly self-conscious around Sousuke, even though Sousuke showed no hint of being bothered by their closeness or by Shino's withdrawal. Shino knew that he was the only one making a big deal over it, yet still he felt powerless to stop himself.

"Oi, Shino! What are you doing just standing out there? Dinner's already made!" Kobungo called out, standing by the open door with Sousuke.

"Oh, um, coming!" Shino said, and hurriedly took his shoes off to join them. Had he been in less of a rush, Shino might have noticed the extra pair of shoes by the door. But, since he hadn't, as he entered the dining hall, his eyes widened with comical surprise. "What? Why are you here?"

Daikaku, who was seated at the table next to Genpachi and across from Asakeno, looked up at Shino questioningly. "What do you mean? I told Genpachi-san I would be taking the train after yours."

"No one ever tells me anything." Shino grumbled, sitting down in a second booth where platters of food had been laid out. At the sight of the various grilled meats however, his mood brightened considerably. Here was the one thing that would always remain a shining beacon of hope in his life: grilled beef. Shino chirped a happy 'Itadakimasu!' before helping himself to the food.

Sousuke, who moved to sit down beside Shino, nodded politely to Daikaku as he passed the first booth. "It's good to see you again, Daikaku-san."

"Just Daikaku is fine," he replied amicably, and received a smile in return.

The food was excellent, and as they ate, Shino complained about all the so-called 'weirdos' that he and Sousuke had run into on the train. Time passed rather quickly, as it often does in the company of good friends, and before long, the dishes had all been cleared away, leaving only a few cups of steaming hot tea. Just as the conversation began to die down, Genpachi cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.

"Daikaku-san, I have been dying to ask this all evening," Genpachi began, his words oddly formal. "By any chance, did you bring it with you?"

Daikaku stared at him blankly. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You know," Genpachi pressed on, looking at the other man imploringly. He was for some reason reluctant to give any details, but he eventually sighed, and added in a hushed tone, "The one that Shino was wearing?"

Shino's face paled considerably.

"What are you talking about?" Asakeno asked, clearly curious.

"Nothing!" Shino barked, shooting a dirty look at both Daikaku and Genpachi.

Daikaku seemed not to notice Shino's glare, for his eyes lit up with sudden understanding, and he said, "Ah, that. Yes, actually, I did bring it. It's with my other belongings in my room, shall I go get it?"

"Ah, my good man! Yes, please do!" Genpachi exclaimed enthusiastically, clapping Daikaku on the shoulder as he rose and left for his suite.

Shino looked positively mortified, and Kobungo glanced at him worriedly before he said, "Would someone please tell the rest of us what's going on?"

"You shall see in just a moment, my dear little brother!" Genpachi said cheerfully. Kobungo looked at his brother-in-law dubiously, then glanced at Sousuke, who had been wearing a slight frown on his face during this entire exchange, yet hadn't said a word.

Daikaku returned all too soon, carrying a wide, flat box in his arms. Sounding genuinely grateful, he held the box in front of Shino, and said, "Shino, since this was purchased solely as reference material, it's no longer needed. I'd like to give it to you as thanks for... helping me find my cat, among other things."

"I don't want any gifts like that!" Shino groaned miserably. "Haven't you been listening at all?!"

Daikaku looked taken aback by Shino's reaction. The slow tension that was building throughout the whole ordeal thickened drastically with Shino's rude response, and it seemed as though an actual fight was inevitable. It was at this time that Sousuke finally said, "Daikaku, maybe you should give that to Shino later."

"Oh..." Daikaku blinked owlishly, as if only taking in the situation at that moment. "Yes, of course."

"No one is going to explain anything, after all this?" Asakeno said, sounding disappointed. Kobungo, despite having noticed Shino's discomfort, found himself nodding in agreement.

In the end, it was Shino who took the box from Daikaku, looking undeniably grim as he opened it, revealing a square of neatly folded, cherry blossom-coloured fabric. As he lifted it from the box, it unfolded into a gorgeous silk kimono. The fabric was a solid colour, but upon closer inspection, there were shimmering floral patterns weaved into the silk, visible only in the shifting light. A few seconds later, Shino stuffed it back into the box, and folded his arms over his chest with a huff. "There. Now you've all seen it. Are you happy now?"

"I don't quite understand. It's just a kimono." Asakeno peered into the box, as if there might have been something he had missed.

"It's a _girl's_ kimono!" Shino squawked, looking terribly embarrassed for even having to explain this.

"Shino, a real man should have no insecurities about wearing women's clothing," Asakeno chided him, and Shino's expression changed to one of shock. A heavy silence fell upon the group, and Asakeno belatedly recognized the double-edged nature of his comment.

"Ah, what Asakeno-san means is—" Sousuke began, but Shino had already grabbed the box and darted out of the room. Sousuke called after him in vain, then sighed, getting up from the table as well. "I'll just go check on him."

"Please give Shino my apologies. I didn't think he would be so upset over just seeing it. It's not as though I was going to ask him to put it on or anything..." Daikaku said to Sousuke before he left the room.

"I suppose I should offer my apologies as well," Asakeno coughed, looking a bit sheepish.

Sousuke shook his head once, offering them a polite smile. "I'll tell him, but you shouldn't worry too much about it. He's... overly sensitive about these things."

"Wait, you weren't planning on asking him to put it on?" Genpachi frowned, looking bemused.

Kobungo heaved a great sigh, and took hold of Genpachi's shoulders, quickly steering him out of the room while muttering, "Aniki, we need to have a talk..."

* * *

Upon entering their sleeping quarters, without turning the lights on, Shino promptly tossed the box into a corner, shutting the door a bit forcefully. He sat cross-legged on the futon farthest from the door— the other one having been prepared for Sousuke —and stared at his right arm through the darkness; he could feel Murasame's power pulsing restlessly through it. It was likely that he had been awakened by Shino's anger.

Footsteps could be heard padding down the hallway, and Shino instinctively grabbed his blankets, pulling them over himself despite not having taken off his jacket. The door slid open a moment later.

"Shino?" Sousuke called softly into the dark room. Shino remained motionless, though they both knew that he was only feigning sleep. "Daikaku and Asakeno both wanted to apologize to you."

Shino didn't respond, and after a long moment, Sousuke breathed out a quiet sigh and said, "I'll give you some time."

Relieved, but unwilling to admit that he had been awake the whole time, Shino silently thanked Sousuke as the sound of his retreating footsteps faded in the distance. He waited a few long minutes to see if anyone else would come by before finally rolling the blanket off himself to change somewhat reluctantly into his sleepwear. It was far too early to sleep, but there was nothing else for him to do, excluding going back into the dining hall to make a fool of himself. Worst of all, though, was that Shino still couldn't take his mind off that damned kimono.

Feeling agitated, Shino shuffled over to the box, and anxiously opened it up again. It was still rumpled, and though Shino had never been one for orderliness or cleanliness, he felt compelled to take it out and refold it. The silk was of the highest quality, and it felt pleasantly cool against his fingers.

It was strange, though, to find that the fine fabric still carried the faint scent of cherry blossoms; earlier, it was hardly noticeable, and Shino thought it might have been just a fragment of his imagination. Upon closer inspection, however, he realized where the scent had come from: tucked in between the folds of the obi, which had remained previously untouched at the bottom of the box, was a small handful of sakura petals. Perplexed, Shino lifted the obi up and shook the petals out of the folds of elaborately embroidered fabric, but immediately regretted his decision, for now they were scattered all over himself and the floor around him.

Shino stared at the delicate flower petals, not knowing what to do with them. Then, suddenly, he realized where the sakura petals must have come from. His heart seemed to leap into his throat, and Shino quickly settled for brushing the petals off of himself before lying down on the futon again. He draped an arm over his eyes, and exhaled slowly. There was no doubt in his mind about how they had gotten into the box: someone had obviously put them there. Shino bit back a groan of annoyance. _'Someone, indeed_._'_

It was his own fault, but Shino dearly wished he hadn't shaken the petals onto the floor. Their sweet perfume, now diffusing slowly into the air, was hauntingly reminiscent of a scene he would have preferred not to think about.

* * *

_'A small favour, huh? If I had known it would be this, I wouldn't have agreed to it at all!' Shino thought bitterly. His eyes shifted to where Daikaku was seated, calmly sketching his profile. It was true that Shino had felt a little guilty for being so insensitive about Daikaku's cat, but that didn't mean he would happily proceed with the task at hand. His legs were already going numb from having been in the same position for such a long time._

_"Don't make that kind of face," Daikaku said, his voice flat._

_"I can't help it!" Shino wailed in frustration. When was the last time he had been made to wear a girl's kimono? He didn't recall it ever being quite as humiliating as this._

_At that moment, the doors slid open, and Shino dared not look at the expressions worn by Sousuke and Genpachi. A faint blush spreading across his face, he mumbled threateningly, "Don't say a word."_

_"Could it be, Shino, that you were really a girl all along?" Genpachi exclaimed, his eyes glinting with a certain light._

_"Ah, so you're modelling for Daikaku-san?" Sousuke raised a hand to his chin thoughtfully. An innocent smile on his face, he mused, "This is really nostalgic, isn't it, Shino?"_

_"I can't wait for you to grow up, Shino," Genpachi continued, sounding serious enough to warrant looks from both Sousuke and Daikaku._

_"You guys..." Shino growled menacingly, his patience already stretched to its limits, while his mind cried indignantly, 'They're completely oblivious to my suffering!'_

_Without any warning, Murasame's seal activated, black tendrils spreading like wildfire down Shino's right arm. With Daikaku seated to the left of him, Shino turned quickly in order to hide the unsettling sight from the dollmaker._

_"I just remembered, I um, dropped something really important in the forest! Bye!" Shino said, getting to his feet and hastily shoving past Sousuke and Genpachi._

_"Oi! Where are you going?" Daikaku called after him, but there was no reply. He sighed. "Well, I suppose this is enough to work with..."_

_Running past the gates, Shino didn't stop until he was safely out of sight of anyone who might be in the garden. Panting hard, he braced himself against a tree to catch his breath. Murasame had reacted to his bitter emotions, no doubt. The seal was still flaring hotly under Shino's skin, and he closed his eyes, concentrating on the rhythm of his own breath and heartbeat. The sakura trees, still mysteriously in full bloom, saturated the air with a pleasant, hazy sort of scent. Shino breathed deeply, relaxing as he felt Murasame settling back into a passive state._

_He opened his eyes, gazing up at the blossoms. As comforting as the sight was, there was something unnatural about it, and it left him with a feeling of subtle unease._

_"Ah, now this is truly a rare sight."_

_Shino jumped, startled by the voice, and turned around quickly. His gaze hardened when it fell upon the source. "... It's you."_

_"What a disappointing greeting. If you aren't going to call me by my real name, then I suppose I have no choice but to make one up. Let's see... how about... Ao?" The Shadow said casually, wearing the same pensive expression as Sousuke had earlier. "But really, what are you doing in that outfit? Not that I'm complaining."_

_"It has nothing to do with you," Shino replied coldly, and he managed to keep his tone was perfectly even, despite his slowly reddening cheeks. He lowered his head slightly, in an attempt to hide his face, and muttered, "Go away already."_

_"Hmm," was Ao's only response._

_Shino could feel the other man staring at him intently, and his skin tingled as if electrified. He kept his eyes fixed upon the carpet of pink petals below them, doing his utmost to repress the memory of his last encounter with the Shadow. But, the more he tried not to think about it, the more rapidly the thoughts came flooding in; the sensation of the kiss they shared was burned into his memory anew, and Shino subconsciously lifted a hand to his lips._

_"Oh? What are you thinking about, Shino?" Ao murmured, taking Shino's wrist in one hand and lowering it slowly, while using the other to tilt Shino's chin upward, forcing their eyes to meet. Shino didn't resist the movement, but glanced away almost immediately. Yet his gaze returned after only a few seconds of hesitation, and he peered at Ao with half-lidded eyes, before letting them slip shut completely._

_That small act of submission was, to Ao, a breath-catching, tantalizing invitation. He took his time in closing the distance between them, captivated by the enticing image of Shino, dressed as he had been five years ago, quivering almost imperceptibly in anticipation. When their lips finally met, Shino froze, a tiny gasp escaping in full realization of what he was doing. In that moment, Ao deepened the kiss eagerly, wrapping an arm behind Shino and firmly pressing their bodies together, as if wishing they could be closer still._

_And Shino melted into the sheer intensity of the kiss; he was able to lose himself in the moment, forgetting the world, forgetting his past, and forgetting whom he was with. He gasped for air as they separated, as though finally having resurfaced from the bottom of a lake._

_A little dazed, he staggered forward into Ao's embrace, and it was warm. It was warm, but it was also noticeably different from Sousuke's embrace. Sousuke had a faintly earthy scent, not unlike wild mushrooms or summer rain. Ao, however, seemed to have no scent at all; even pressed against him, all Shino could smell was the sweet aroma of the cherry blossoms. It was, in a sense, as though he wasn't really there at all..._

_"Hmm, so that's what was on your mind," Ao said teasingly, playing with a long strand of the wig Shino still had on. "I need to get going, but I'll come visit you in the Capital."_

_Shino didn't reply, so Ao continued, "You should grow your hair out, Shino—"_

_"Stop acting like that," Shino cut in, drawing back from the taller man, his mouth pressed into a thin line. "We're not friends, Ao."_

_"... That's fine with me," Ao shot him a sly grin, and turned to leave. "You can be Sousuke's friend."_

_Shino blinked, staring at Ao's retreating figure in confusion for several seconds, before stammering, "W-we're not anything else, either!"_

* * *

Shino rolled onto his stomach, burying his heated face into the pillow. Why was it that whenever he didn't want to think about something, he inevitably ended up thinking about it? He squeezed his eyes shut. '_Stupid flower petals! Stupid Ao!'_

Ao... the very name itself invoked the image of the brilliant blue gem which Shino was certain had been stolen from him. Was that the reason why he had chosen such a name for himself? To link himself inextricably to the one thing Shino couldn't possibly get rid of? Shino scoffed to himself. He wouldn't put it past the man to play such mind games.

At the very least, he could assume that Ao would keep Sousuke's gem safe... if only to blackmail Shino with. There were still three others that Shino had to locate, and then there was the matter of finding out exactly what had happened to Sousuke's memory... Not to mention his newest dilemma: without Satomi's financial support, he was badly strapped for snack money...!

His mind filled with worries both large and small, Shino remained awake long into the night, and he didn't quite know when he had drifted asleep, but at some point he had. All too soon, a new day had arrived, and he was woken up by a hand resting lightly on his shoulder. It felt as though he had only closed his eyes for a moment, and Shino resisted the pull of consciousness stubbornly.

"Still sleepy?" Sousuke said, a touch of amusement in his voice. "It's time to get going, though. Satomi-san sent word for us to come by right after breakfast, and if you sleep in, there won't be any breakfast to speak of."

"Okay, okay, I'm awake," Shino grumbled, forcing his eyes open blearily, before blinking a few times and letting them fall shut again. As much as he loathed going without breakfast, going without sleep was even worse. "Nevermind, I give up."

"Shino," Sousuke sighed. He had no choice. In one smooth movement, Sousuke pulled the blankets off of the boy, leaving him shivering at the sudden lack of warmth.

"No! I'm going to die!" Shino complained loudly, curling in on himself reflexively. He was definitely awake now, whether he liked it or not. Moments later, he drew himself up into a sitting position, and resentfully watched Sousuke fold up his blanket. "You're paying for breakfast."

"I always pay for breakfast," Sousuke pointed out.

"And you'd better not stop now," Shino said gravely as he got dressed, glancing about the room and noting that both the kimono and the sakura petals were missing. _'Best not to think about it...'_

Sousuke chuckled, but nodded dutifully in response, and on their way to the mansion, he bought a bag of fragrant meat buns from a street vendor. Murasame joined in on the feast as well, making off with an entire bun, much to Shino's chagrin.

To some extent, Shino realized that he was being a little too lively, considering all that had happened the previous night. It was in some ways a coping mechanism, but more importantly, it was a protective measure; for Shino feared that without this facade of being his usual energetic self, he would be consumed by his own thoughts and desires— and for Sousuke's sake, he simply couldn't let that happen.


End file.
